Copper, Brass, and Bronze Alloys - Insights

Results of a Poll of Engineering360 subscribers

Copper, brass, and bronze alloys are non-ferrous metals with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity as well as good corrosion resistance, ductility, and strength.
Copper is a reddish orange, soft, and malleable (low hardness) metal that is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Pure copper is mainly used for heat and electrical transfer applications, as most alloy additions detrimentally affect copper’s conductivity properties. Common applications include electronics,...
Learn More about Copper, Brass, and Bronze Alloys

Q & A on Copper, Brass, and Bronze Alloys

We asked our users for their input on Copper, Brass, and Bronze Alloys.
Here are the results of 66 users
familiar with Copper, Brass, and Bronze Alloys.

What are some of the applications you have used copper, brass and bronze alloys for?

24 answers

Answers:

Copper: cables, tubes, sheets, fittings, tiles, etc., heat exchangers, as a finished product Brass: in different kind of alloy between copper and Zinc (85/15, 63/37, etc.) in piping and tubes, sheets, cables, forged pieces, heat exchangers (like valves, fittings, etc.), decorative applications. One special alloy 58/40/2 (means 58% Cu, 40% Zn, 2% Pb), is applied usually in mechanized parts (produced short cheeps), for mechanical parts, lockers, keys, forging, etc.. Other brass alloys are used based in anti corrosive conditions in front of water sea, in applications in ships constructions (admiral brass), heat exchangers, etc.. Other main applications of brass alloys are in the weapon and ammunition industries. Bronze is applied in different alloys in bearings (self lubricated bearings, musical instruments,. etc. Copper is also used in electronics as contactors in metallurgical as alloy with iron for special steels

~Ivania M, Assoc. Professor in University of Chemical Technologgy and Metallurgy, Sofia, Bulgaria

Q:

Do you know of any disastrous mistakes that occurred due to the incorrect usage of copper, brass and bronze alloys?

3 answers

Answers:

Yes. No correct test made in brass alloy (specifically 70/30) used in ammunition were manufactured with some errors in the rolling mill process. As result, circa 42 tons of coils were reject and return to the foundry. If some of this materials were used in the manufacture of ammunition the cannons, rifles or gun machines were exploded in the hands of the users.

~Alberto R, General Management, Buenos Aires, Argentina

The same as mentioned above to manufacture gear we used ordinary bronze & all teeth broken / weared

To make such an alloy having higher hardness with better conductivity with low manufacturing cost.

~Shreekant P, Manufacturer, Nashi, India

- high conductivity
- good relaxation behavior at high temperature
- good manufacturability

~Rolland K, Design Engineer, JAMBEIRO, BRASIL

Air conditioning
Chemical
Food industries
Metallurgical (new alloys)

~Alberto R, General Management, Buenos Aires, Argentina

To have a lead segregation to minimize

~Engineering, Design, Bangalore, India

Intermetallic nanoparticles Cu-Sn

~Ivania M, Assoc. Professor in University of Chemical Technologgy and Metallurgy, Sofia, Bulgaria

Don't have any

~Engineering, Process/Production, Sunderland, MA

Q:

Is there any advice you want to share with users to help them avoid common errors in selection or usage of copper, brass and bronze alloys?

4 answers

Answers:

I believe that every one that is operative in these kind of markets knows very well the risks of a wrong selection. Any case, I recommend to be in connection with a metallurgist about the characteristics of each alloy and how this alloy is matching with the necessities of the product to be designed or presented in the market.

~Alberto R, General Management, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Understand the wide range of aesthetic and performance properties between copper and range of copper-based alloys.

Do you have any advice for people relative to buying or using copper, brass and bronze alloys?

4 answers

Answers:

Yes. Any case, must know well the composition of the material you are thinking of in the use of scrap as row material for your production. Price and right design of the product could be affected by non confirmed quality of the materials.

~Alberto R, General Management, Buenos Aires, Argentina

- due to the very high cost try to replace by aluminum or steel when possible

Serves manufacturers of consumer, commercial, business, and medical appliances, as well as the design and engineering firms, product development, and industrial design firms supporting this industry segment.

Covers design, construction, and operation of plants and machinery for making such products as acids, dyes, drugs, plastics, and synthetic rubber by adapting the chemical reactions discovered by the laboratory chemist to large-scale production.